Latest Area News Headlines

WORTHINGTON – Congratulations to the United Way of Nobles County. They met and even surpassed their goal Wednesday night during the telethon at the Worthington High School, raising $6,729 between the telethon, the silent auction and the Taste of Nobles County food booths. They had set a goal of $6,000. The United Way of Nobles County hopes to raise $160,000 during its current fundraising campaign.

The United Way helps a variety of Nobles County organizations fund projects throughout the year, with all of their funding staying local.

WORTHINGTON — The Okabena-Ocheda Watershed District board has opted not to pursue legal action against a rural Worthington farmer who allegedly violated watershed rules by replacing a culvert and changing the flow rate of water off his agricultural land.

Administrator Dan Livdahl reported to the board Tuesday that more than $1,000 had been spent in legal fees, and it was determined there wasn’t enough documentation for the district to prove wrongdoing in either a criminal or a civil case against landowner Kenneth Meyerdirk. At a meeting between Meyerdirk and Livdahl in early June,...

PIPESTONE – A 26-year-old Pipestone woman died Tuesday when her 2007 Ford Focus collided with a Freightliner semi on Highway 23 near mile marker 20 shortly after 5:30 p.m. Amy Redenius was northbound in her Ford Focus and Joshua VanHill, 26, of Sioux Falls, SD was southbound in the semi when the vehicles collided.

Icy road conditions led to a crash on I-90 in the early hours this morning that involved four vehicles, according to the Minnesota State Patrol. At approximately 1:27 a.m., the driver of a 2005 Jeep Liberty was westbound when she lost control on the icy bridge. A second...

WORTHINGTON – Both the building bond and the excess operating referendum failed Tuesday during a referendum vote for Independent School District 518 in Worthington.

The first question addressed a building bond referendum for $38.9 million to build a new intermediate school for grades 3, 4, 5, and an addition of approximately 56,000 square feet to the high school. That vote failed with 965 yes and 1,756 no votes. The second question also failed, with 1,457 no votes and 1,261 yes votes. It asked voters to revoke the last year of a current $1,000 per pupil excess operating referendum...

Both ballot questions failed Tuesday during a referendum vote for Independent School District 518 in Worthington.

The first question addressed a building bond referendum for $38.9 million to build a new intermediate school for grades 3, 4, 5, an addition of approximately 56,000 square feet to the high school and some other remodeling. It failed with 965 yer votes and 1,756 no votes.

The second question also failed, with 1,457 no votes and 1,261 yes votes. It asked voters to revoke the last year of a current $1,000 per pupil excess operating referendum and begin a new...

WORTHINGTON – The Worthington Convention and Visitors Bureau, in conjunction with Smith Trucking, is asking for the public’s help in designing a tourism-themed design to go on the side of a trailer that will be driven nation-wide. Mike Smith said he designed the first two concepts, but in this third year of having a Worthington trailer out on the road, he wants to get the community involved. He’s asking that submissions show what Worthington means to them.

Smith Trucking and the Worthington Area Chamber of Commerce will be selecting the winning designs on Dec. 1. The truck should be...

JACKSON – Four people had to swim to shore Sunday morning when their boat capsized on Loon Lake about a quarter mile from shore. According to a report from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, authorities received notice of four people floating in the water around 10:30 a.m. near the north island on Looon Lake. The four were duck hunting when their boat capsized. A resident who had just gone outside because his power had gone out heard screams and contacted authorities.

Emergency crews deployed boats into the lake, but the victims had swam to shore. They ranged in age from 62 to 16...

SIBLEY, Iowa — Two eighth-grade football players facing charges of assault with sexual intent as a result of a bullying incident were expelled from school for the remainder of the semester during a Saturday closed-door meeting of the Sibley-Ocheyedan school board. If the two boys return to school at S-O next year, they’ll face in-school suspension, and will also be required to do a presentation on bullying to the middle school, take part in counseling and perform community service. They are also banned from all extracurricular activities for the remainder of the school year.

WORTHINGTON – According to Worthington Public Utilities General Manager Scott Hain, the non-essential water ban proposed weeks ago by the Water and Light Commission went into effect today. At this morning’s check of well levels at the Lake Bella well field, the static level at Well No. 26 was 30 feet 2 inches, which is 4 feet 8 inches below the 15-year average.

Effective Nov. 3, violators of the ban will be subject to a $90 fine for the first offense, and a $160 fine for a second offense. Continued violations may result in water service to the property being disconnected. The ban...

WORTHINGTON – During a brief hearing Thursday, Nobles County District Court gave the city of Worthington permission to have access to the Kmart portion of Northland Mall, for the purpose of identifying the next steps to renovate or demolish the former Kmart building. Mall owner Mike Kohan did not make an appearance.

Following an inspection in mid-June as a result of a drug bust within the former Kmart building, city officials found numerous violations within the structure. The city council declared the building hazardous on Aug. 12, and Thursday’s court hearing was the next step in...